Foot measuring device



2 sheets-:sheetl Feb. 5, 1946.y H. E; CLARKE FOOT MEASURING DEVICE Filed May l2, 1942 H. E. CLARKE FOOT MEASURING DEVICE Feb. 5, 1946.

Filed May 12, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 YTn dern-of E. CLARKE `tionsof the width size.

Patented Feb. 5, 1946 i 2;394,149j Foo'ii'MEzisURmGl-DEVICE 1 'i Harold Clarke, West Smervil'leg. Mass., sppifeatiomrray 1e, 1942i seriameinasos-f 6; Claims.

inventiony relates'I tok improvements in a root' measuringI device of they typev which is' used to measureV they footl in tneterrns of: shoe sizes forpr'oper ntti'ng' of shoes: VThe footrneasurifng device isv of the typ-e for accurately `deternfinin'g Ithe length size measurement both* overall from heel to toe and2 vfromI neel'` to-loall,` and the width size measurement which is automatically'adjusted tocompensate fcrvariations in length size read either overall or'fronr heel to'ball.

'I'hev present' inventiony i's an vimprovement over the foot measuringdevice disclosed in my Patent'sN'o's. 1,582,636, granted; April 27, 1'9'26, and 1,96'2;101, granted June'5, T934.A Injmy prior Patent' No; 1',582,636` thev iontmeasuring device com`` pressure against the toe oppositesidesof the ieot."

It" is an iob'iect of the' present invention topro'- vide a foo't" measuringdevi'cewhi'ch will automatically adjust itself` about the foot;` to" bear evenly with uniform-,pressurevatf allpoints ofv contact and lieeil and; onfv the with tne foot whereby the proper shoe:V 'si'zevin prises a casing having" a heel plate Whicliis engaged by the inside margin and heel `of the foot, the casing having a longitudinally' movable toe plate for' indicatingL the overall' length oft the foot,

the toe plate being' provided with' a laterally mov-vv able side yplatefor indicating the' Width ofthe foot. In this prior device the rooti's placed on the ilo'or or: other support and the device is free to adjustA itself around the foot. One' objection to this prior foot measuring device is that the side` plate, although freeto move'inwardly against the foot, cannot be pushedI outwardly by lateral pressure ofthe foot and requires amanuaf op'- eration by the' tter to' avoid incorrect indica'- Tlie device in my Patent' No. 1,962l01l has a bed' plateup'on which' the foot' must be accurately placed in orderto" obtain correct measurements; j y

' Itl iscommon practice in'k shoe' fitting todejtermine the proper shoe size by measuring onlyone foot. This"practice cannot he'recoinmendedsiiice the foot which is not measured ',rnay require a larger size. There' isia great advantagein'- using a device which indicates tlielength andwi'dth foot; is larger andselectslioes' whi'chwill properly t the feet'. t f

ShoeY fitting devices which. require .considerable care and. attentionon. thepartoil 'timeA tter in' placing the foot. inl proper relationY tov-the rdevice andinL manually adjusting indicating l devices against the foot are. objectionable: asl-accuratev measurements cannot be'. obtained where manual adjustments are required. foot` measuring l devicel should: be` free from: directA verticahvpressure of; the foot but, fully-responsive tn?- llateral pressure: due: to spreading of: therfeet sa the measurements". are read while?, there is; an. even terms offle'ngtli and width may beY readf'by the operator. i Y f l It is a particular'obiect' of the present-mirention toV provide aside bar orrnea'surin'g sti'cle having aheel plate iixedi thereto andy atoe platennw-k ablev with respect to: said side' bar, the toe`v platek having a parallel bar! linkage forj mounting: alaterally* movable side plate,- orv side win'gf whereby thawldth size of the foot is determinedfby'ftlie movement of the side plate Wittr respectl vtothe toe plate'. y y

It; is further an object" of my inventionito'pr'ovide a unitary foot measuring device adapted. to automatically* indicate' the proper' shoe` sizeL in terms of lengthy and widthl for bothv the': lright `and left" feet` simultaneously, the parts ofthe" device which contact eaclfootbeing independently movable with respect tofthe corresponding parts of the device Whichl engagethe other ioctl Further 'objects' and advantages of'myi-niprovernentsfA will be more: readily apparent'ironf'the followingndescription of preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the attacheddrawings, iniwhi'chz:

Fig. 1 is a plarr view of the douhle foot Ineasuring device partially shown in' sectionYY am'dfdiagrammatically indicating thev position o'f one foot;

Fig-2 i'sa'. rear elevation of the device; f Fig. 3^bi'sf a verticali sectioir taken: on' the pla-ne Fig; 4". is al fragmentary enlarged plan "view showing th'efmeans for mounting and guiding the size of both feet at tnesametwe with 'such ,40 a device the iitter may duicklydetermi'ne. which movement of the toe plates-j l Fig; 5 is. a detailed sectionalviewtaken o f the plane. indicated 5-5' inFig. 1S;

Fig; 64 is a sectional View taken on thevplane Fig, 71 isiaplan view showing-my foot-,measuring device: -designed for' measuring' only one foot atfa time; and l v Fig; 8? isf aw fragmentary sidel elevatlontof tlfie rod I6 is fixed tothe spring plates I4 by-'tightening the nuts I6 which are threaded on the rod I0. A pair of rigid heel plates I8 are fixed to the spring elements I4 by nut and bolt attaching .means 20. It should be noted that the heel plates4 have fiat innensurfaces to .accommodate wide heelswithout,givingjncorrect measurements.y

A pair of spaced bars or measuring sticks 22 which may be of Wood are rigidly secured toeach.

of the heel lplates I 8 by means of U-shaped metal strap members `24 whichpass through'slotsjlv26 f j i formedin the metalheel plates I8, thestraps l l being attached by the rivets 26`tothe sticks 22.'l Y

' the width size ofthe feet inaccordance with the The sticks 22 have .the strips 28 fixed to the 'topi surfaces thereoff which have arcuately applied measurement indications for heel 'to ball length 'The' device is supported k,on` the iii'oolrl end portions and' 3 I no f-theY heel V plates f I8 which :form supporting feet while the., front ends ofithe -sticks 22.- are'provided withrestmembers -`:i2-to support the otherv end of vthe-meas uringde,vice

as Vshown inFig.L 2. The device asia'wholgs therefore freetoadjust itself automatically about I' the feet which rest on the floor. Y -gThefcentral portion of the heel platesil8 is .formed with reinforcing flanges 36 which, are

' position of each 'ofthe plates 16 with respect toY each of the side frame units is'connected to the f central rod IIl. The purpose of this flexible indef pendent movement of the measuring means for Veach foot will be more readily Aapparent from the subsequent descriptionof the use of the ldevice Y ias a whole.

AThe inward movement of the slide 54 with respect to the rod I0 is limited bythe stop member 18 and thev outward movement is similarly limited byjaj stopf12.v The outerarms 14 ofV the platesV 46 extend transversely and outwardly with respect to each of the measuring sticks 22 and L overlap the top .and bottom sides of the sticks y V22. vThese 'outwardly directed arms V14 provide ,means for mountingfthe outwardlymovable side plates 18, mechanism beingprovided for reading Y its associated arms 14.

It win be .understood that] the V,mechanism j through which each of theplates 16 is mounted. is thesame on each side of the double'foot measuring device. Vertical pins 18. andf are fixed to the. arms 14.r .The pin 18 forms aY pivot for the movable lever Y82 which is vconnected by a Apin 84 to' an arm 86 ywhichextends at a` rightangle Hfrom and is f xedat its outerend to the A,side plate `turned away from the inner surfaoefofthe'heel plates. The innerendsr 3 I` of the `heel plates are bent away from the-leaf springs I4 and are iiizedV I Y,to the 'diagonally disposed rods 438 which are' ati tache'dat theirrouter ends 40 to the outer ends y-ofthesticks 22: Y 'Y 16. Links 88 are pivoted on the pin 80 and con-f nected to the arm. 86 by the pivot pin 90. The

arm 86 of the side plat-,e116 vis mounted through the lever arm 82 and the links 88so as tomaine tain substantial parallelismbetween thefsideV `plates 16 and the associatedmeasuringstick 22.

. A tension springf9'2 is connected at 94.to the arm Each of the rods 38 acts as a guide rodjfor the l `movementof a pairfof pins 42V and 44 .-to the upper and Y lower ends fof which are. attached the :VL-shaped plates 46. /Each pair of plates 46 to- A gether with theppins 42 and 44 are movable by` vthe tension of a springw 48 ftendingto retract the vplates 46 towards the heel plates I8. 'Each spring w 48 is fixed at 50 to afheel-platey I8 and is attached by a pin52toapair of the plates 46.

Mechanism'is provided for producing manual movementof the plate members 46 vagainst the Yforce .ofthe springs 48.A A slide;member 54 "is guided formovement on the r'od' I 0 by means of the'pins 56. The top of 4the slide 54'hasa Y .handlea58. The base'of the slide 54 is .2L-triangular plate at'the forward corners ofwhich are pins-60 vto which are connected thejlink members 62. 'Ihe jlinks 62 'at the opposite ends are con- ,nectedrto the pins 42`which slide on the `rods138.

The links 62 at the points of connection with the f -pins 60 may be provided withV the rslfiortslots 64 Vto permit a smallamou'nt` of .movementbetween the pins 60 and-the links'62.V VAdditional* links'66 are Vprovidedbeti/een the pins 44 and,

the pins 60. These 'links '66iare formed with slots 68 to'receive the pins '60.' Itwill be -understood that by pulling on the hand1e58; the slide 54 will be moved forwardly on the/rod I U-and Amove-- vment will be transmitted through ythe'links 62 Y and 66 to the plates 46 which will alsomove for-V wardly with respect tothe Jinclined Vguidefrods 38. .The lost motion slots 64- and 68 provided in j the links v62 and 66 areinten'ded to permit acer- ,'.taindegree of movement ofthe frames of the individual measuring units on each side of the central rod I8 comprising the stick 22, the heel plate I8,the guide rod 38 and the plates 46. Each frame unit may move independently. due-to vthe provision of the spring plates I4 through which 86 and .is fastened vat theother .end rtafXed pin 96.

enclosed in a housing 98. The housing at its forrWardmargin is arcuatelyy .curved as shown-in Y .an indicatingmarking y|02 thereon. It` will be .-noted that eachrside, plate 161s freeto move in either .direction .inwardly or outwardly A.with re-l spect to its associated Ameasuring stick '22.. The

inner part of the casing 96 forms a toe plate |04 adapted to engage thev toe of the foot.

'The foot measuring device is'placed on theiioor or a suitable platform, restinguponthelfeet 30 and 3| and the feet V82so that itis free to readily n move about-on thesupport. The operator, while Y holdingthe. device by the handleY I2, "pulls forwardly on the handle 58 thereby causing the slide V54. to move'jforwardly and transmit movement .through the vlevers* 62 and'66 tothe toe, plate means. .The toeplateszwill therefore bemoved forwardly tothe full extent of the permitted movementand at the same timethefsideplates Q16 will move outwardlywith respectlto thefmeasuring sticks 22:" 'I'he 'device is then ready'ito receive the feet'of theperson whose'feet are to be measured. VThe feetrare, placed with .their inner .sides againstthe Vouter sides of the Incase uring sticks 22. VThe operator, by pulling on; the

handle I2', willjmovefthe device asfa whole: to vbring the heel'plates" into contact with the'heels of the feet.' It "will be understood that-'due` 'to the exible character of the device thatl'the heel plates may have aV limited egztent of'ind'epen'dent movement. so that the vplates will come'ir'ito contact with the heels of both feet. The slide handle 58 isthen releasediandthe operator may assist the return movement of the toe plates into conaaai, 1491 3- tactwith-r thef-` toes ofth'e tootl The' springs: 48 are intendedf to be relatively.' lig-litY springs :which `wi11i ace ta keeptheheei: pistes andate piaresiirr contact*A wiftiftlie heelsv andr4 t'oeso-fltlie f eetswhen the operator removes his hands fromf'tliedevicei. The'- side'l plates" will" come into@ contact? with the outersif'desf off tliefeet' asf the toe plates move rearwardly; and' it'will bei understood that the side plates'I 'I6 may readily move outwardly' with resp'eett'o14 the toe plates dfue'- totheprovision of the parallel*linltsfthroughl which the side plates are. connected-'td theA tbe plates. maintain contact of the sideY plates against the outer sides of' the feet "and the measuring' sticks against' the innerl sides ofj the feet independent of any manual adjustment' bythe operator'.

- As'shown@ in Fig: l, each foot makes Contact The spr-ings 925 distance-f off' aV widtli size?V forneache; unit'of. overall at'flve points,l namely, at where theheelabuts aga-instthe heel plate; at bi where the sideoi" the heel" conta-cts' the measuring" stick 22';- atF e Where theV inside' of the" ball contacts the; stick' 222'; atdf'where'the toe contacts-thetoerplate |f0`4`: and at e where the outside of the ballL of' the foot contacts the side plate T6. The properlength size'may then be read" from the scales" on the strips 28. y

Accredited authorities` recommend that foot measurementsbe taken with the foott extended to its full extent whi'ch'mayoc'cur v under' conditions; ofr standing, or walking.'` Thus it is` pi'feferableV that an individual foot be measuredY with the: entire; weight of the body applied' toV that footi Tlie'recognized military authority, Colonel Munson, recommends that marching shoes be tted by taking the measurements of; a foot with theentire weight ofthe body plus a weight' equivaient to a forty-pound pack Vapplied to the foot'.

The recommended: practice,y however, is. not generally followed and shoe' fitting devices karel used with the person whose foot`v` measurements arejto be taken in a sitting position or in a. standing position with the weight evenly distributedbetween the fjeet. Although ..u recommendthat my device be used in a manner that will' eliminate so far as possible the exercise ofY judgment on the part ofthe operator so that the device may be used by untrained' operators, it will. beunderstood that my device will. give results comparable to, other devices, even'. though the. recommended practice. is notfollowed.

In using my device, the-overallior heel to toe length scale. is' first read. Thev overall length size may be suiiicient4 infittingfcertainrtypesoffshoes to the feet, but I have shown in Fig. 1 theiprovision of separatescales` for reading the heel to ball length in terms of` shoe size. It will be understood that a normal foot will measure the same shoe size whether the measurement is taken overall or from heel to ball. With my device the heel to ball length size may be read by the operator using his thumb to nd the ball joint and reading across on the heel vto ball scale, which scales are arranged inwardly of the measuring sticks with reference to the overall length scales. If the reading of the heel to ball length size indicates a larger size than the overall length size, the feet may be tted to shoes of the larger size. For example, in Fig. 1` the foot shown measures 61/ overall and 71/2 heel to ball. In such case the foot should be tted to a 7% shoe size, or at least to a 7 shoe size., This tting will leave more room between the end of the toes and the end of the shoe, but the ball length of the shoe will length; Asize [that the ptoe plate.: movedz forward; itlbeing? understoodth'atta 9:-G-ifoot, is wider than a foot in the.` standardi'systemof shoe sizes;

y The proper; sizewidthnmayfbe readilyi determined fromv the? position*l of thefindicator |1I2f om the lever 82 withfrespectto.the'fwidth. scale.-v lull.u `It should be understood thatA as 'the weight'. of/t'he bodytis: appliedto,A theefoot,` the; sides' of the foot will?. spread,`y outwardly andi', with myA device: the spreading of-,Lthez foot willY cause. the; side` plate '|-6I to move outwardly; with` respect.; to the; measuiting'stick..so.that` an. even pressure is-r, applied to. both sidesiofy thefoot. .It the foot' were. resting onia bed plate with a fixed sidebanthe foot would 'have' to. move. on` therbed' plate to accommodate thespreading of' the 1 foot', otherwise: there would' be too; greatapressure against the.y si'de bar. If`r it.Vv has been determinedfythat thef feet should befi'ttedfto.l shoes. of' a lengthl size greater than. that" indicated by the overall: length sizey scale, thetoe. plates should rst'be moved forwardly sowthati` theV selected? overall' length size-- is indicated before reading the width size scale: For example, in` Fig. 14 if itisk determinedA tof fit theV shoes to a 7% length size fromr reading the heel to ball' scale, theH toe plates/will' be moved forwardly until'll/g' is indicated onv the overall scale and"J the width measurementv willtl'ien be read; Thiswoul'dindicate a B widthand the feet wouldfbe-i'ltted to 'lll/2" Bv` shoes; whereas if the shoesY were flttedfr'om the overall length scalev withoutv readingl the heel to ball scale; the feet would be'iitted` to 6%- C shoes.

It will beunderstood that it is advantageous to use thespri'ngs; 48 and 92v forcausing the toe plate-andthe 'side plate to resilientlyfr'emain in contactl with thev foot under light Apressure but thatV the device could still be used without the springs if the operatoruses care in-pressinglthe toe-'1 platej and-*side plate intoY contact lwith the foot'.

' Fig. '7l illustrates a` measuring devioe'adapted to measureu one foot at a-y time: Thus thedevice asv shownV in Fig; 7 wouldbe used in the' position shown for measuring the left foot and then turned over to measure the right foot. The device as shown comprises Athe central measuring stick H0, the heel plate H2, the movable toe plate H4 and the movable side plate H6. The toe plate H4 is guided for movement on the rod ||8 and is normally held in retracted position by the spring |20. The stop member 2| limits the movement of the toe plate H4 in either direc- .respect to the scale |24. The lever |22 is 100D .Muni AA i A4 l .1. A footgmeasuringeevice .comprising-fa .neas

atingwith said width size scale..v 1

Y shapedjrga'scshowni in glthe :sideview oftlige 8 1 to vserve as a handle:formanuallyamovingthe ltoeV plate l I4 forwardly V;to lopen .I the` ,devicei for .re-

uring stick, a heelplate nin `iixed -relation1to one end ofzsaid-stick 'extending at right angles thereto, atoepiatezdisposed paraueito'saidneeipiate,

Y, meanssupporting said. toe plategfo'r movement with respectto saidV stick in(l av directionfatan f4' f assenepj meaIiSbeig-mounted.formevementiwitherespect to, said heell plate means and' the means for; ene,

gaging the inner sidesof,the,feet, and.' ai single manually operable i control VYfor' moving` 1 said {,toe

plate means.v L Y 5,.l Inashoesizetting devicefforapair ofjfeet;

heel lplateiineans', adapted to be v'engagedgbythe heels ofaa, pair of feet, means extending for;.

Y wardlvfrom sai'df heel plate-means adaptedto ybe angle to said;sticka side-platel extendingfrom for lateral fmovement with respect tosaidf ltoe said-toeaplatelparalleltofsaidfstick, means ,com-fVV Y prising'parallel links .supporting said side plate plate.said measuring stick having a length lsize Y. `scale thereon, said toe plate having va width size scale inr fixedy relation thereto, and indicating means .movablewith said. side, plateand cooper 2. In afoot measuring devicej forindicatingihe length andv width'of-,the footin'terrns ofv shoe size,

a* measuring stick .having a length Vsize 'scale thereon, a rheel-plateiixed to one, end of the Y measuring stick, ra toe plate member 'mounted for Yresilientmovement towards vsaidihee'lfpilaJte va side'v plate mounted'k for.movementzlaterally vwith pair'of measuringsticks one of which islior the respect to -said measuring .stick, zsaidf'side plate Y' otallyiconnected to said arm `and said toe plate membensaidV toel plate member including a cas-' f ving having a width size scale thereon; one cf'said links having a'lever armiconnected thereto, said leverfbeingimovable in indicating relation to said width size scale'. i

Y Agfootmeasuring 'device yfor indicating thef' lengthandjwidthof a pair 'of feet in terms of shoeysizes comprising apairof measuring sticks,

eachof saidmeasuring sticks having a heel plate fixed to oneend thereof anda toe plate Vmounted for longitudinal movement withfrespect to ,the measuringvstick--each ofl themovable toe plates having ,a laterally movable side plateimounted thereon,va-resilient connection between thefpair of heel plates, andfmeans interconnecting theV Vpair Vofmovable toe plates for moving said-V toe plates in a-directionA away from said heel plates, saidl means providing for .independent lrelative movement ofsaid toe .plate'sin a direction towards said heel plates. v l Y v 4.Inr a shoe sizeittinggdevice for a pair of feet, heel plate means for engaging the heels of av pair of feet, means extending forwardly lfrom said heel plate-,meansfor engaging'the-inner sides-ofthe lpair of feet, toe plate means for engaging the toes of the pairof feetgsaid toevplate i having anfari'n extending-'at'rightanglesrthereto towards saidmeasuringstick, a pair of linkspive.

moved. 'intoengagementlwiththe inner sides of. the pair of feet',. toe plate means adapted to be moved-into engagement withjthe toes vof thepair of L feet, said t toeplate means being mounted for movement with respect to said-heel plate means and themean's for engaging the inner sides or"v the feet,` sideplate means movable to engage the n sides' c f the pair of feet, saidjside platemeans being mountedfor movementwith saidftoe platev right foot andthe other icr'the left foot,V each ofY said'sticks having a length size'. scale thereon, apairof heel plates, each-of said heel plates being mounted in fixed relation to one of said sticks andvextending transversely with respect'thereto, leafv spring means connecting the pair'of heel plates, said leaf springmeans permitting limited relative movement between lsaid measuring.sticks,` a pair of ,guidemembers eachfofsaid guide members vbeing mountedvfin xedrelationv toione of said sticks'and extending atan angle thereto, a

pairv of toe-p1ateseachofsaid toe plates being supported for movementiby one of lsaid guide members said Atoe plates having arms extending parallel to said heel plates, apair of movable side plate members, each vofsaidcside plate vmembers j being mounted 0n an alim ofonebf Vsaidjtoe plates for movement laterally Vwith respectto the associated stick, arod fixed at one, end to saidleaf spring means intermediate said heell platesa control 'member mountedfm movement on said rod, linkagelconnections between `said control member and each ofsaid toe plates, said linkage connections permitting limited relative movement between said toe plates and resilient means tending to move said toerplates toward, said heel Y plates', saidtoe plates being movablev away from said lheel plates by movement'ofsaid control member; 'f

` YI-ILSJE'LOIrD CLARKE.` Y 

